This invention relates generally to an improved embroidering tool for use in forming loops of yarn or other material in a basic fabric and more particularly to an improved, all metal, punch embroidering tool in which the length of exposure of the needle can be varied without cutting the yarn or thread.
Embroidering tools of the kind contemplated herein have a tubular needle which is mounted at one end of a finger manipulatable holder therefore. The holder has a bore-like passage therethrough which communicates with the proximal end (nearest end to holder) of the needle so as to accommodate movement of a length of yarn through the holder and into the needle passage or hollow during use of the tool. The distal (far) end of the needle is equipped with a laterally opening eye that communicates with the needle passage. The yarn is threaded through such eye from the needle passage to the exterior of the needle during use of the tool.
In practice, the distal end of the needle is inserted in the back side of the basic fabric and passes through the fabric to a predetermined point from the front side of the fabric before being withdrawn therefrom. Upon initial penetration of the basic fabric, the yarn at the exterior of the needle eye is frictionally engaged by the basic fabric material. As the needle is passed further through the fabric, the yarn length is pulled downwardly through the holder passage and the needle passage until such time as the full hilt of the needle insertion is obtained. Thereafter, as the needle length is withdrawn, a loop is formed at the front side of the basic fabric. As the eye contained distal end portion of the needle is withdrawn from the fabric, the fabric material closes in about the yarn at the opposite ends of the length portion of the yarn forming the loop (which has a length about one-half the length of the needle insertion) so that the loop is thereafter maintained and frictionally held in place by the fabric material that surrounded the needle at the point of insertion and withdrawal. In practice, the insertion and withdrawal procedure is repeated with each point of insertion in the basic fabric being, in most cases, in an area which is proximate to the point of the previous withdrawal of the needle from the basic fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,135 to Kittener, U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,458 to Samoliov, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,510 to O'Brien show typical prior art embroidering tools that employ a hollow needle through which the yarn is drawn during use and further illustrate the procedures involved in the use of such tools. Other embroidering tools and procedures are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,912,977 to Geerhart, No. 3,240,176 to Morrison, No. 3,938,452 to Windall, and No. 4,765,264 to Burton.
It will be appreciated that the size of the loop formed at the front side of the basic fabric is determined by the depth of penetration of the needle during use and is approximately half such penetration depth. Such loop length is normally determined in those embroidering tools that have a needle and holder which are relatively fixed by the location of the needle eye with respect to the adjacent extremity of the holder. The adjacent end of the holder in such cases serves as a stop that engages the back side of the basic fabric and serves to limit the depth of the needle penetration and thus the size of the loop formed during use. To shorten the depth of the penetration and thus provide an element of variance in the sizes of the loops formed by such tools, small sleeve elements that fit over the needle are sometimes provided by the tool manufactures. These sleeve elements are of differing lengths an, to decrease the depth of penetration, an appropriate sleeve length is selected for placement on the needle in abutting relation to the adjacent and extremity of the holder. The sleeve fits snugly on the needle and, during use, the end of the sleeve which is offset from the end extremity of the holder serves to stop the advancement of the needle into the basic fabric to determine the depth of penetration and thus the size of loop formation.
In some types of punch embroidering tools of the hollow needle type, provisions are made for adjusting the location of the needle along the axis of the holder so that, in effect, a means is provided for adjusting the distance between the stop forming end extremity of the needle holder and the eye at the distal end of the needle. The Kittener, Samoliov and O'Brien patents are illustrative of embroidering tools that are provided with adjustable needle capabilities.
One problem with known punch embroidering tools with adjustable needle capabilities is the inconvenience involved in making the adjustments. In some cases the tool parts must be disassembled and thereafter reassembled to make an adjustment as well as cutting the yarn. Yet another difficulty presented by the prior art is the inconvenience and often uncertainty in duplicating needle adjustments. In some tools there are no convenient provisions for indexing the adjustment to the depth of penetration of the needle. Accordingly, a trial and error approach to duplicating a previous adjustment must be resorted to.
Still another difficulty with known punch embroidering tools with adjustable needle capabilities resides with the manufacturer and involves the excessive costs that are required for manufacturing the known designs. Most prior art embroidery tools of the kind contemplated are used for fine and delicate decorative embroidery work, and require the use of a hollow needle that is usually less than about 2 mm in diameter. Tubular components of this size are incapable of withstanding large lateral pressures without being damaged and are not capable of low cost modification to supply the market demand for tools of the kind contemplated. As such, current manufacturers have resorted to the use of low cost hypodermic or cannulation needle assemblies which are currently being supplied to the medical field for use as components of devices and assemblies that are used in injecting and/or withdrawing fluids from the bodies of humans and other animals. Typical of such devices and components used in making hypodermic injections and withdrawing blood specimens in the subcutaneous tissues of the body. Such needle assemblies are being mass produced in such large quantities for the medical professional as to permit their modification for use as relatively inexpensive components for such embroidery tools. The Samoliov patent is representative of one such use of cannulation needle assembly in an embroidering tool wherein the assembly before incorporation and use in the tool structure may be modified simply by providing an appropriate eye at the distal end of the needle.
Unfortunately, the use of such needle assemblies has been found objectionable by certain governmental bodies and agencies because the tools can be disassembled and the cannulation needle assemblies thereafter used as illegal drug paraphenalia by unauthorized drug users. Accordingly, the need exists for a structural arrangement in a tool of the type contemplated herein that permits the use of a modified cannulation needle assembly but nevertheless effectively precludes the subsequent use of the modified assembly for such unauthorized purposes.
A more recent prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,445 issued to William Walker and entitled Embroidering Tool provides for an adjustable length needle. The prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,445 is formed entirely of plastic except for the needle which is of steel and closely resembles a hypodermic need in that it has a bore extending through the length thereof and with the sharp end of the needle having an eye formed therethrough with one end of the bore terminating openly in the inner perimeter of the eye of the needle. The thread or yarn employed in punch embroidery extends from the spool of thread (or yarn) through the bore of needle and then through the eye of the needle.
The prior art device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,445 comprises a first elongated, generally cylindrically shaped plastic element with bore formed axially therethrough and having a tapered end which grips the second end of the needle firmly and permanently so that the needle cannot move laterally with respect to the axis of the first longitudinal element. A portion of the outer surface of the first elongated element is threaded. A second elongated cylindrically shaped plastic element has a bore therethrough having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the threaded portion of the first elongated element and formed with a protruding button on the surface of the bore therein. Such button fits within the threads of the threaded portion of the first elongated element and functions as a matching thread with the threaded portion of the first elongated plastic element. Thus, as the second element is rotated with respect to the first element, such second element will move longitudinally with respect to the first element.
The second element also have a tapered end within which the diameter of the bore therethrough becomes increasingly smaller until it is only slightly greater than the diameter of the needle.
The bore at the tapered end of the second element fits closely but loosely around the needle so that as the second element is rotated with respect to the first element and the second element moves freely in either longitudinal direction with respect to the first element such second element will also move longitudinally in either direction with respect to the needle. Thus, the length of the needle extending out of the tapered end of the second element will vary in accordance with the degree and direction of the rotation of the second element with respect to the first element. The exposed length of the needle is important in punch embroidery in that it determines the length of the loop of yarn being formed to produce the desired three dimensional effect.
One of the principal problems encountered with the above-described prior art punch embroidery needle assembly lies in the use of the protruding button on the surface of the bore extending through the second element. Because the button is relatively small and made of plastic it is fragile and relatively soft and tends to wear off with usage, thereby destroying its function as a threaded surface and thus preventing controlled axial movement of the second element with respect to the first element. The exposed length of the needle, therefore, cannot either be accurately controlled or even maintained in a fixed position since the second element can now simply slide axially with respect to the first element and will not be controllable by a relative rotational movement of the second element with respect to the first element.
A further difficulty commonly experienced with punch embroidery type needles of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,445, or other prior art devices, is that the needle frequently bends because of the force applied thereto by the user so that the needle occasionally must be replaced. With the prior art tool described above in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,445 a bent needle requires not only the replacement of the needle but also the replacement of the first plastic element within which the needle is firmly and permanently secured. To replace only the needle and the first plastic element in which the needle is held is tantamount to replacing the entire structure because by the time the needle becomes bent it is quite likely that the small plastic button which acts as a thread in the bore of the second element will probably be well worn down and should also be replaced. Replacement of a prior art punch embroidery needle of the type described above costs about ten dollars retail at the filing date hereof.
It would mark a definite improvement in the art to provide a punch embroidery type needle in which a damaged needle could be easily replaced without replacing any other elements and in which the mechanism for adjusting the length of the exposed portion of the needle has an indefinitely long life without exhibiting appreciable wear or breakdown of any kind.